Incumbent Republican's connection to Foley sex scandal has given his opponent a lead of 48% to 33%

By ROBERT J. McCARTHY
News Political Reporter
10/8/2006

Democrat Jack Davis has opened a significant lead over Republican incumbent Thomas M. Reynolds in a congressional contest fueled by Reynolds' association with the Mark Foley sex scandal. Davis leads Reynolds 48 percent to 33 percent in a new Zogby International poll conducted for The Buffalo News, prompting pollster John Zogby to conclude that Davis poses a genuine threat to the longtime powerhouse from Clarence.

"There is no other way to look at these numbers except to say Tom Reynolds is in trouble," the Utica-based Zogby said.

The poll surveyed 402 likely voters in the 26th Congressional District on Wednesday and Thursday (with a margin for error of plus or minus 5 percentage points). It showed that 325 respondents were following the Foley story, with 57 percent disapproving the way Reynolds handled the situation after he found out last spring Foley had sent an e-mail that made a former page uncomfortable. And then 10 days ago, it was revealed that Foley had sent sexually explicit instant messages to other former pages.

Only 25 percent of the poll respondents said they approved of how Reynolds handled the situation.

In addition, the national attention focused on Reynolds over the past week has led many voters to consider him in a different light. Only 2 percent of those surveyed said they view the congressman more favorably since news of the scandal broke, while 50 percent said they think less favorably of him. Those whose opinion remains unchanged stand at 47 percent.

Sodrel is in a tight re-election campaign with former Democratic Congressman Baron Hill. Hastert was expected to campaign for Sodrel in Jeffersonville next week. He canceled, apparently because of the page sex scandal involving former Congressman Mark Foley.

Sodrel says he still supports Hastert as speaker. Hill called for the speaker's resignation.

Hastert says he accepts responsibility for any earlier failures to investigate complaints of inappropriate behavior by ex-Congressman Foley.

Hastert says he accepts responsibility for any earlier failures to investigate complaints of inappropriate behavior by ex-Congressman Foley.

He accepts responsibility, except it is the media's fault, and the Democrats, and George Soros.

So good that Reynolds is having trouble. He is one huge pompus ass, er elephant. Davis is no walk in the park--repbulican himself and one of his big aims is to do away with the 'Death Tax'. But at least he has the (D) behind his name, and Working Families endorsed him.